Wok Shadow Ninja

Chapter 120: Baroque Works and the King of Hell

In Kabuto's eyes, the young lady of the Yamanaka clan was probably just bored, casually chatting and showing off some information she had read from who-knows-where. At first glance, her words seemed absurd, but upon closer consideration, there seemed to be some truth to them. However, these truths were things ordinary people could never access, which is why they had become akin to folk legends.

Ordinary ninjas believed that the Sage of Six Paths was a folk legend, a myth. But Kabuto knew better he was a real historical figure.

Myths have their exaggerations, but they also contain elements of truth.

Kabuto felt that he wouldn't get any answers from Ino, so he decided to consult his life mentor.

Two days later, Kabuto secretly arrived at the Hidden Sound Village and met Orochimaru, one of the legendary Sannin of the Leaf, alongside Jiraiya and Tsunade.

During the Great Ninja War, Orochimaru had long served as a battlefield commander, leading armies against the Hidden Stone and Hidden Cloud Villages, earning great merit in defending the Leaf Village. However, due to conflicting ideals, Orochimaru eventually defected from the Leaf and became a rogue ninja.

As Orochimaru's spy planted in the Leaf Village, Kabuto occasionally sent back intelligence. With the Third Hokage growing increasingly frail and the Chunin Exams approaching, Orochimaru's long-planned "Konoha Crush" operation was entering its final stages.

After reporting the intelligence, Kabuto should have left. But today, he hesitated for a few seconds and, under Orochimaru's curious gaze, asked, "Orochimaru-sama, where do we go after we die? Will we meet those who have passed on?"

Orochimaru was puzzled. Why was he asking such a strange question out of the blue? He valued Kabuto's abilities, so after some thought, he gave his answer: "I believe we won't see those people again. Death is death. We disappear and no longer exist in this world. Kabuto, don't hold onto illusions."

Kabuto had been pondering this philosophical question of "where people go after death" for two days. The smarter one is, the more likely they are to overthink things, and Kabuto was one of the smartest people alive.

Ino's "Underworld Theory" hadn't exactly opened new doors for him, but it had made him think deeply about many things.

"Orochimaru-sama, I've heard legends of the King of Hell from ancient times. They say that after death..." He recounted the information he had heard from Ino, combined with some scattered historical records he had gathered, and asked like a student facing a teacher: "Does the King of Hell truly exist in our world?"

Orochimaru gave a cold, sinister smile. "What would you do if I said yes?"

Kabuto stared at him and pressed further: "If we could find the King of Hell, could our world return to normal? Children wouldn't lose their parents at a young age, mothers and sons wouldn't draw swords against each other over misunderstandings... Everyone could find their purpose in life..."

His voice grew softer, and even Orochimaru, who had lost his parents at a young age, felt a slight stir in his heart.

He had never seen the King of Hell, but he knew about the Rinnegan. He had seen Pain's Rinnegan, and according to some ancient texts, the Rinnegan was the eye of the Sage, capable of controlling life and death.

The King of Hell, the Rinnegan, the cycle of reincarnation, the violent nature of natural energy things he had previously overlooked now seemed to connect in some way.

Was it because the King of Hell was enslaved by those eyes that the world had become such a mess?

For a brief moment, he even considered returning to the Akatsuki, stirring up trouble, and getting his hands on the Rinnegan to study it. But the thought was quickly dismissed. Not because he didn't want to, but because he couldn't. Pain was too strong! He stood no chance of winning, not even a sliver of hope.

Coldly, he said, "Kabuto, I can only tell you that there is some truth to what you're considering. But your level is too low, and your strength is too weak. This world is far more terrifying than you imagine. To oppose someone who controls life and death, you must make yourself immortal. Enough talk. You may leave."

Kabuto lowered his head, a flash of contemplation in his eyes. "...Is it because I'm too weak? I understand, Orochimaru-sama."

Two days later, when Ino saw Kabuto again at the Leaf Hospital, she noticed that he wasn't just reading records of difficult and complicated illnesses but also flipping through myths and legends.

Ino asked, "Kabuto-senpai, why are you reading these myths and legends? They're just for kids."

Kabuto sighed softly. "My ninja talents are lacking. My ninjutsu is mediocre, my taijutsu is weak, my genjutsu is even worse, and I have no real talent for medical ninjutsu either. But I still want to follow my ninja way. Ino, what is your ninja way?"

What is my ninja way? Is my girlfriend my ninja way? No! Is my ninja way just my girlfriend? Also no! Ino didn't have a ninja way causing trouble was her ninja way!

She stammered, unable to give a clear answer, but Kabuto didn't expect one anyway.

"I hope everyone can live peacefully and happily. That's why I studied medical ninjutsu. When I realized I had no talent for it, I turned to studying medical theories, hoping my research could help other medical ninjas. Unfortunately, I have no talent in anything. So I thought, maybe people in ancient times were happier? Maybe they had a cure-all medicine? I want to find that medicine and heal everyone!"

Ino nodded repeatedly, but internally she was complaining: "You're totally lying to me! Every single word of that is fake. I don't believe a word of it!"

Kabuto scratched his head with a sunny smile. "Haha, no need to hide it. I know my ideas are a bit childish, but I still want to try."

Ino cheered him on: "Yeah, Kabuto-senpai, I support you."

Kabuto used a tone reminiscent of forming a "Junior Detective Club" to trick Ino into joining him in developing a cure-all medicine that could solve all the world's difficult and complicated diseases.

He would handle the theoretical side, while Ino would be responsible for finding ancient myths and legends.

With his abilities, he could easily sneak into the libraries of major ninja clans at night, undetected, to search for books. The problem was, there were too many books hundreds, even thousands, spread across various ninja clans. Was he supposed to sneak in every night and flip through them one by one? He'd exhaust himself!

In his eyes, Ino was just a tool to help him gather information.

To give Ino a sense of mission, he named the cure-all medicine "King of Hell," and the study group followed the ancient name, calling itself "Baroque Works"!

He appointed himself as the president and named Ino the vice president.

He specifically warned Ino not to draw too much attention, fearing that if they failed, they would be ridiculed.

Ino also didn't want to be affected when Kabuto eventually defected from the village. The two reached an agreement, and thus, a highly secretive organization was formed in a rather whimsical manner.

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